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Library and Information Science: Employment Resources

Employment Resources Description

The resources on this page provide information relevant to job seekers looking for part time and full time library, archives, and industry work.  This page was created by Amelia Loew, a graduate student in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Iowa.

Application Resources


 

Interview Resources

Kara Lodgsden, Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Iowa's School of Library and Information Science, has prepared a list of interview questions for job-seekers to consider and practice before the interview process:

  • What interests you about this position? Why do you want this job?
  • This position involves utilizing archival theories and best practices to organize and describe the oral histories and improve their accessibility. Please describe your experience working with archival collections.
  • An important part of this project involves building relationships and connecting with the community we serve. Tell me about a time when you worked with community archives and/or marginalized communities.
  • How would you navigate encountering culturally sensitive information within the collection? 
  • Is there anything else we haven’t discussed you would like  us to know about you that makes you uniquely qualified for this position?
  • Do you have any questions for us?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?
  • Tell us about a time you worked with a group to complete your project. What was your role? How did the group work together? Do you like working with groups?
  • When you are working on multiple projects, how do you manage the work and your time?
  • What inspires you and what takes the wind out of your sails?
  • How do you expect the library to manage patrons who are causing disruptions to library operations?
  • Are you comfortable approaching people who are not following the library's conduct policy?
  • How do you deal with conflict in the workplace?
  • How would your co-workers describe you?
  • What strategies do you use to manage your time?
  • Tell us about a project you completed. What were the goals for your project? How did you manage the project?
  • Tell us about a time when you observed excellent customer service. Why was it excellent?
  • Tell us about a time when experienced poor customer service. What could have been done better?
  • What part of this job do you think you would like the most? What part of the job would you like the least?
  • Do you enjoy working with teams? What role do you usually take on a team?
  • What supervision style do you work best with?
  • What do you expect from your manager?
  • Could you please tell us a bit about yourself (often a first "question")
  • Tell us about a way that you advocated for or contributed to a more inclusive work environment? 
  • A patron wants a book removed from the library, how do you respond? 
  • You would be starting a job in a new place. How would you integrate yourself into the library and the community?
  • Tell me about customer service successes and failures that you have experienced.
  • Tell us about your relationship with a past supervisor. Please describe what their strengths and weaknesses were and what they thought your strengths and weaknesses were.
  • Have you ever had a strained relationship with a supervisor? If so, what could you do to improve the working relationship?
  • Tell us about a time when you had to manage a project from the big picture to the tiny details. How did you approach it? What did you learn?
  • Tell us about a time when you and a coworker disagreed about something. How did you handle it? What did you learn?
  • What would you do if you encountered a problem and your supervisor was not around to help?

Mar 6, 2024

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